Keyhole Sink Trail

The Keyhole Sink Trail is on Old Route 66, just outside Williams, Arizona.  It’s a short trail although we’re not entirely sure how long it is as we forgot to take the GPS.  According to our invaluable Williams Guide book it’s a half a mile according to the sign at the trailhead it’s a mile but however long it is, it’s a nice hike on a very hot sunny day.

The trail winds down through the pine trees

Ending at a grove of aspens in a box canyon created by ancient lava flows and then shaped by water.
 

Petroglyphs are pecked into the walls of the canyon, they are quite hard to find.   We found some, but we couldn’t find the one that depicts deer being driven into the canyon by prehistoric hunters.

Although we didn’t see any, prints in the mud show that animals still come to drink in the small pool at the base of the cliffs.

Have fun, we are!

There’s gold in them thar hills!

Look what we found!

Oh, if only it was real!

In 1863 Pauline Weaver, a pioneer explorer, led an expedition that discovered gold nuggets the size of potatoes on the top of Rich Hill.   Miners working the hill found deposits in the creeks and the town of Stanton, originally called Antelope Creek, was founded.

Antelope Creek was renamed Stanton for Charlie Stanton the illegitimate son of an Irish lord and a graduate of Dublin University. He met his end in 1886 after making vulgar comments about a Mexican girl her brothers objected and filled him full of holes!

Those prospectors of a romantic disposition could go absolutely everywhere together in Stanton.

 

 Yeh right!

Stanton is now owned by the Lost Dutchman’s Mining Association and they allow you to look around.   Present day prospectors still roam the hills looking for that elusive big strike.

  Have fun, we are!

Skull Valley

Scenic Iron Springs Road, County Road 10 winds through juniper covered hills to Skull Valley and is a lovely drive on a hot sunny day.

The General store, which was built in 1916 seemed like a good idea for a coffee and snack stop. Until a flood in 1983 the General Store was also home to the Post Office, after the flood it was moved to a temporary location before a new one was opened near the fire station.

The first service station was built in 1925 and moved to its present location in 1964.

There is a small museum situated in the Old Santa Fe railway depot which is manned by volunteers and is open on Sunday afternoons during the summer unfortunately we were there on a Monday! Oh well!

The railroad has gone through Skull Valley for over 113 years and although trains no longer stop about 10 – 12 times a day freight trains pass through.

As for the name, well according to the book of ‘Arizona Place Names’, Skull valley was named for the piles of bleached skulls discovered by the first white men who entered the valley. The skulls were the remains of a fierce battle between the Maricopa and Apache Indians and the dead were left where they fell.

Have fun, we are!

Comments

I have no idea why, but I can't reply to comments any more, so in reply to Michael our newest follower.

We're so pleased that you're enjoying reading about our travels, our plan, is to try and visit all 50 states, but there is such a lot to see ...............

Have fun, we are!

Back in the Old (very hot!) Pueblo

We flew back into Tucson a little while ago and boy was it hot, at least 35 degrees hotter than back home in the UK.

After having a safety check done on the Cougar’s brakes at Orangewood RV www.orangewoodrv.com (thankfully all was okay), we headed off to Rincon East RV Park for a couple of days to restock with food and generally sort ourselves out.

Much as we like Tucson, and much as we like hot weather, it was just too darn hot for us, so at some ridiculously early hour, we headed off to cooler climes starting with Prescott where it was only in the mid 80’s!

Have fun, we are!

3 Men and a Dog, again!

Parking the car at Arley Station in Shropshire DB, two friends and Meg the dog, boarded the Severn Valley Railway http://www.svr.co.uk

for the trip to Hampton Loade to follow the trail along the River Severn back to Arley.

It was a lovely sunny day and the walk along the river Severn is very pretty and was thoroughly enjoyed by Meg. The trail passes through some quite wooded areas, but I didn’t hear any tales of vicious horseflies this time.

The river Severn is 200 miles long and was once navigable from the Bristol Channel all the way to Welshpool serving inland ports all along its route, these days it’s only navigable between Stourport and Gloucester.

A midway point is Highley, where a couple of cold beers were enjoyed by all but Meg, who wisely stuck to a bowl of water, on the terrace of the 18th century Ship Inn (recommended).

Suitably refreshed they carried on along the River Severn returning Arley to collect the car. On the way home they called at The Severn Valley Railway terminus in Bridgnorth just for a ‘quick’ look in the station bar.

Have fun, we are!

Bliss, absolute bliss!

On a hot afternoon in North Devon paddling along the edge of the surf while eating an ice-cream is a fabulous idea.

Days like this demand ice-cream, although not just old any ice-cream it has to be Hockings ice-cream. Hockings http://www.hockingsicecream.co.uk/history1.htm are a small local company based in Appledore and they make deliciously sinful, absolutely gorgeous and totally irresistible ice-cream. The ice-cream is made with Devon clotted cream and to our way (my SIL and I) of thinking is best eaten topped with a chocolate flake with more clotted cream slathered on the top. Delish!

My SIL and I know that eating the ice-cream while paddling through the surf burns off all the calories, we are totally convinced about this so don’t even try and tell us otherwise.

A cold glass of white wine, while watching a beautiful sunset over Lundy Island is the end of a perfect day.

Have fun, we are!

Welcome

A new follower has joined us, Michael Ultra, welcome, we hope you enjoy following our travels.

Have fun, we are!

3 Men and a Dog

After negotiating the intricacies of the Cheshire bus pass system (basically don’t catch a bus until after 9.30 a.m. – 9.29 a.m. just doesn’t cut it with the bus company ticket computers) DB, two friends and Meg the dog headed off to Chester.

The first stop was coffee on the banks of the River Dee.

They headed off across the bridge at the start of their 6 mile walk back to Alford.

The walk followed the river all the way, which Meg on a warm sunny day particularly enjoyed, although the horse flies were biting with a vengeance in a small wooded section.

Before heading across the bridge into Alford

Strolling past the church

To their final destination.

Several long cold beers and a bowl of water for Meg in the pub gardens.

Have fun, we are!